by Jeroslyn JoVonn
February 12, 2025
Relying too heavily on AI could destroy critical thinking skills, researchers say.
A new study isn’t warning about the risk of artificial intelligence replacing humans at work but of the potential danger that using AI too much can have on one’s cognitive abilities.
A new study published on Feb. 10 by researchers from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University revealed the risks of increased human reliance on AI tools for task completion, warning that it could lead to a society deficient in critical thinking when it matters most.
The study analyzed 319 knowledge workers—individuals whose jobs involve handling data or information—and found that the more workers used AI to complete a task, the more likely they were to relinquish control.
Many of the participants reported a “perceived enaction of critical thinking” when they felt they could rely on the artificial intelligence tool, which highlights the risk of society becoming too comfortable with relying heavily on AI. This tendency was especially evident in lower-stakes tasks, where people were less critical.
While it’s natural for individuals to disengage during simple tasks, researchers cautioned that this pattern could lead to long-term dependence and a decline in independent problem-solving skills. Workers who had less confidence in AI’s ability to complete a task were more actively engaged in critical thinking. As a result, they reported greater confidence in their ability to assess artificial intelligence-generated outputs and to make independent improvements.
Researchers also discovered that users with access to generative AI tools tended to produce “a less diverse set of outcomes for the same task” compared to those working without AI. Since AI tools operate solely on the information they are given, output is limited by their training data. As a result, researchers suggest this could indicate a “deterioration of critical thinking” among workers using AI.
The findings emphasize that while AI can be a valuable tool for productivity, excessive dependence on it may weaken an individual’s ability to effectively complete tasks independently. Over-reliance on AI may cause workers to lose the “muscle memory” developed from completing tasks on their own.
For those concerned about being replaced by AI in the workplace, excessive reliance on it could be making that worry a reality.
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